DOCSLIB.ORG

General Assembly GENERAL

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
General Assembly GENERAL UNITED NATIONS A Distr. General Assembly GENERAL A/HRC/12/9 20 JULY 2009 Original: ENGLISH HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Twelfth session Agenda item 6 UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review * Afghanistan _________________________ * Previously issued under document A/HRC/WG.6/5/L.8; minor revisions have been added under the authority of the secretariat of the Human Rights Council on the basis of editorial changes made by States through the ad referendum procedure The annex to the present report is circulated as received. GE.09-14614 A/HRC/12/9 Page 2 CONTENTS Paragraphs Page Introduction...................................................................................................... 1 - 4 3 I. SUMMARY OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE REVIEW PROCESS ... 5 - 94 3 A. Presentation by the State under review.......................................... 5 - 21 3 B. Interactive dialogue and responses by the State under review....... 22 - 94 5 II. CONCLUSIONS AND/OR RECOMMENDATIONS............................... 95 - 98 14 Annex Composition of the delegation......................................................................... 25 A/HRC/12/9 Page 3 Introduction 1. The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 of 18 June 2007, held its fifth session from 4 to 15 May 2009. The review of Afghanistan was held at the 8th meeting, on 7 May 2009. The delegation of Afghanistan was headed by H.E. Mohammad Qasim Hashimzai, Deputy Minister of Justice. At its 12th meeting, on 11 May 2009, the Working Group adopted the present report on Afghanistan. 2. On 8 September 2008, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of Afghanistan: Azerbaijan, Cameroon and Republic of Korea. 3. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to resolution 5/1, the following documents were issued for the review of Afghanistan: (a) A national report submitted in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/5/AFG/1); (b) A compilation prepared by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) (A/HRC/WG.6/5/AFG/2); (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/5/AFG/3). 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by Argentina, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was transmitted to Afghanistan through the troika. These questions are available on the extranet of the UPR. I. SUMMARY OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE REVIEW PROCESS A. Presentation by the State under review 5. At the 8th meeting, on 7 May 2009, the Deputy Minister of Justice opened his statement by referring to Afghanistan’s State report, prepared in a participatory process based on principles of transparency, participation, responsibility, accountability, nondiscrimination and inclusiveness. His delegation included representatives from law enforcement institutions, national human rights watch agencies and civil society. 6. Following almost three decades of war and disorder, Afghanistan’s legal, political, social and cultural infrastructure is weakened. Nevertheless, in direct cooperation with the international community, Afghanistan managed to make a number of important achievements, including the adoption of the 2004 Constitution which laid the foundation of Afghanistan’s legal framework. It bound the Government to monitor and observe the Charter of the United Nations, the International Declaration of Human Rights, international treaties and human rights conventions ratified by Afghanistan. 7. The delegation provided additional information on measures taken to enhance the professional capacity of national human rights institutions, the efforts made to entrench human rights and challenges encountered. A/HRC/12/9 Page 4 8. The Supreme Court has trained some 800 judges on fair trial and more then 750 modern and Sharia law graduates have been employed in the justice sector. Lack of security remains the main challenge for courts and judges. The Ministry of Justice has established the Bar Association and registered 102 political parties and 1,348 social organizations. However, despite these efforts some problems remain, including the failure to meet human rights standards inside the prisons. The Attorney-General’s Office faces problems due to lack of availability of lawyers especially in the provinces, lack of security for prosecutors, shortage of technical equipment during investigation, interference of powerful people and low salary levels for prosecutors. The Ministry of the Interior has made efforts in training the Afghan National Police to protect human rights in discharging its duties. Nevertheless, a number of complaints show that further work is needed in this area. 9. The Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) with support from the Government has been able to monitor prisons and detention centres without prior notice. In agreement with a number of international military forces it has also able to monitor the situation of Afghans detained accused of having links with terrorists. A number of additional, specialized commissions have been established recently to ensure security of human rights, including the anti-corruption and civil administration reform commission, commission to address capital punishment cases, board for addressing complaints of prisoners transferred from Bagram airbase and Guantanamo prison, board for addressing the situation of prisoners in Kabul’s main prisons and detention centres, and commission for elimination of violence against women. 10. Civil society plays an important role in conducting research on different human rights issues. 11. The delegation mentioned some of the most important national policies and strategies adopted to systematically support human rights, including the Afghan National Development Strategy approved by the President on 21 April 2008. 12. The Transitional Justice Strategy and Action Plan on Peace, Justice and Reconciliation was adopted in 2005. With regard to implementation of transitional justice, judicial actions were not taken due to lack of suitable conditions, for example, insecurity, lack of required capacity in the Government and the influence of powerful violators of human rights. 13. The delegation provided further information regarding measures for social protection. The Government was providing shelter to 9,312 orphan children in 54 orphanages, a total of 362 kindergartens were fully functional throughout the country. Concerning the right to food and to an adequate standard of living and shelter, in 2005, 44 per cent of Afghans lived under the poverty line, and 75 per cent did not have food security. The Ministry of Agriculture has developed a special food security programme in May 2008. Additionally, the rapid growth of urban dwellings, the return of new groups of refugees and internally displaced people, the expansion of poverty and slums in the cities put the Government in a difficult situation when considering citizen’s right to shelter. 14. Achievements in the last seven years on the right to health included a reduction in mortality rate of children under five. Health service coverage increased to 85 per cent of the population through 1,688 functioning medical facilities. Yet, malnutrition remained one of the most challenging public health issues. A/HRC/12/9 Page 5 15. On the right to education, the delegation provided information on some positive developments. In 2008 more than 6 million students attended schools, one third of whom were girls with 15,842 attending schools in rural areas. Adult literacy courses for women had opened all over the country. However, major challenges remained, including the destruction of schools by armed anti-Government forces, the shortage of qualified teachers particularly in rural areas, the shortage of financial and technical resources and low salaries for teachers. 16. The delegation pointed out that ensuring the right to life of citizens has been one of the biggest challenges. It is often violated through civilian casualties and suicide bombings. 17. Concerning media and freedom of expression, the delegation explained that there were three national and 21 local television stations in the country, only one was State-run. Some 57 radio stations operated throughout the country and hundreds of newspapers and pamphlets published in an environment free of fear and censorship. He noted some of the main challenges, such as the lack of professionalism in some journalistic circles and the intimidation of journalists by armed anti-Government forces. 18. Regarding efforts in the area of non-discrimination and equality, over the last seven years Afghanistan made some major achievements in ensuring women’s rights, including the formation of the Ministry of Women Affairs. Twenty-eight per cent of the National Assembly members were women, the highest proportion in the region. However, due to insecurity in some provinces, a culture of immunity from punishment, low awareness of women’s rights, particularly among women themselves, old and harmful superstitious customs and lack of job opportunities were among the most pressing challenges. 19. Reference was made to measures taken concerning the rights of minorities, human trafficking and the rights of the child. Afghanistan has about 1,000,000 disabled persons. The Government cannot extend
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Afghanistan: Background and U.S. Policy
    Afghanistan: Background and U.S. Policy July 18, 2019 Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov R45818 SUMMARY R45818 Afghanistan: Background and U.S. Policy July 18, 2019 Afghanistan has been a significant U.S. foreign policy concern since 2001, when the United States, in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, led a military Clayton Thomas campaign against Al Qaeda and the Taliban government that harbored and supported it. Analyst in Middle Eastern In the intervening 18 years, the United States has suffered approximately 2,400 military Affairs fatalities in Afghanistan, with the cost of military operations reaching nearly $750 billion. Congress has appropriated approximately $133 billion for reconstruction. In that time, an elected Afghan government has replaced the Taliban, and most measures of human development have improved, although Afghanistan’s future prospects remain mixed in light of the country’s ongoing violent conflict and political contention. Topics covered in this report include: Security dynamics. U.S. and Afghan forces, along with international partners, combat a Taliban insurgency that is, by many measures, in a stronger military position now than at any point since 2001. Many observers assess that a full-scale U.S. withdrawal would lead to the collapse of the Afghan government and perhaps even the reestablishment of Taliban control over most of the country. Taliban insurgents operate alongside, and in periodic competition with, an array of other armed groups, including regional affiliates of Al Qaeda (a longtime Taliban ally) and the Islamic State (a Taliban foe and increasing focus of U.S. policy). U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Safeguarding Women's Rights in Afghanistan
    153 Oxfam Briefing Paper 3 October 2011 A place at the table Safeguarding women‟s rights in Afghanistan www.oxfam.org Participants from the Women for Women programme, Afghanistan. © Women for Women International. Women in Afghanistan have achieved real progress in areas such as political participation, the rule of law, and education since 2001, but these hard-won gains remain fragile. With the imminent withdrawal of international forces, there is a risk that the government may sacrifice women’s rights in order to secure a political deal with the Taliban and other armed opposition groups. The government and its international partners must do much more to support Afghan women’s efforts and uphold their rights while ensuring that women have a strong voice in any future negotiations and political settlements. Summary ‘Women want peace but not at the cost of losing our freedom again.’ Noorjahan Akbar, co-founder of Young Women for Change.1 Ten years on from the start of the Western intervention in Afghani- stan, Afghan women are facing an uncertain future. Women have strived for and made important gains since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, including in political participation and access to education, but these gains are fragile and reversible. The precarious situation for Afghan women is set against a backdrop of spreading insecurity across Afghanistan. Civilian casualties are in- creasing, with May 2011 the deadliest month of the war for civilians since 2007.2 As security deteriorates across the country, violence against women is also on the rise. Both the Afghan and US governments are attempting to engage in parallel talks with the Taliban to reach a political solution to the con- flict before international military forces withdraw by the end of 2014.
    [Show full text]
  • Afghanistan: Hazaras
    Country Policy and Information Note Afghanistan: Hazaras Version 1.0 August 2018 Preface Purpose This note provides country of origin information (COI) and analysis of COI for use by Home Office decision makers handling particular types of protection and human rights claims (as set out in the basis of claim section). It is not intended to be an exhaustive survey of a particular subject or theme. It is split into two main sections: (1) analysis of COI; and (2) COI. These are explained in more detail below. Analysis This section analyses the evidence relevant to this note – i.e. the COI section; refugee/human rights laws and policies; and applicable caselaw – by describing this and its inter-relationships, and provides an assessment on whether, in general: • A person is reasonably likely to face a real risk of persecution or serious harm • A person is able to obtain protection from the state (or quasi state bodies) • A person is reasonably able to relocate within a country or territory • Claims are likely to justify granting asylum, humanitarian protection or other form of leave, and • If a claim is refused, it is likely or unlikely to be certifiable as ‘clearly unfounded’ under section 94 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002. Decision makers must, however, still consider all claims on an individual basis, taking into account each case’s specific facts. Country of origin information The country information in this note has been carefully selected in accordance with the general principles of COI research as set out in the Common EU [European Union] Guidelines for Processing Country of Origin Information (COI), dated April 2008, and the Austrian Centre for Country of Origin and Asylum Research and Documentation’s (ACCORD), Researching Country Origin Information – Training Manual, 2013.
    [Show full text]
  • PR 199 Afghan Women Want to Amend Marital Rape
    AFGHAN WOMEN SECURE PRESIDENTIAL PLEDGE TO AMEND ‘MARITAL RAPE' LAW ***** AdvocacyNet News Bulletin 199 May 5, 2009 ***** Kabul, Afghanistan: Afghan President Hamid Karzai has bowed to pressure from the women's rights movement in Afghanistan and abroad, and promised to amend a controversial new law legalizing marital rape. The president made the commitment to change the so-called "Shia Personal Status Law" at an April 26 meeting with members of the Afghan Women's Network (AWN) and other civil society groups in Kabul. Several members of the Afghan parliament also attended the meeting. AWN is a partner of The Advocacy Project (AP). The new law runs 270 pages, and gathered dust in the country's parliament for 18 months before being pushed through in March, when Mr Karzai began to face stiff competition in his race for re-election. The law applies to the Shia minority in Afghanistan, who make up 20 percent of the population.Protests in Kabul The law caused a storm of protest inside Afghanistan and internationally. According to advocates, it would prevent women from leaving the house without permission, forbid wives from refusing sex with their husbands, and permit the practice of child marriage. After Mr Karzai signed the law, AWN sent a letter to the minister of justice and met with the minister on April 8. A week later, AWN members took part in a protest march in Kabul (above) that attracted an estimated 500 women, including several female parliament members. The following day, AWN took part in a press conference and released a statement
    [Show full text]
  • Afghanistan SIGI 2019 Category Very High SIGI Value 2019 53%
    Country Afghanistan SIGI 2019 Category Very high SIGI Value 2019 53% Discrimination in the family 81% Legal framework on child marriage 100% Percentage of girls under 18 married 35% Legal framework on household responsibilities 75% Proportion of the population declaring that children will suffer - if mothers are working outside home for a pay Female to male ratio of time spent on unpaid care work - Legal framework on inheritance 75% Legal framework on divorce 100% Restricted physical integrity 40% Legal framework on violence against women 75% Proportion of the female population justifying domestic violence 80% Prevalence of domestic violence against women (lifetime) 61% Sex ratio at birth (natural =105) 106 Legal framework on reproductive rights 75% Female population with unmet needs for family planning 39% Restricted access to productive and financial resources 46% Legal framework on working rights 100% Proportion of the population declaring this is not acceptable for 46% a woman in their family to work outside home for a pay Share of managers (male) 93% Legal framework on access to non-land assets 25% Share of house owners (male) 76% Legal framework on access to land assets 25% Share of agricultural land holders (male) - Legal framework on access to financial services 25% Share of account holders (male) 78% Restricted civil liberties 38% Legal framework on civil rights 0% Legal framework on freedom of movement 75% Percentage of women in the total number of persons not 62% feeling safe walking alone at night Legal framework on political participation 25% Share of the population that believes men are better political - leaders than women Percentage of male MP’s 72% Legal framework on access to justice 75% Share of women declaring lack of confidence in the justice 65% system Note: Higher values indicate higher inequality.
    [Show full text]
  • The “Ten-Dollar Talib” and Women's Rights
    Afghanistan The “Ten-Dollar Talib” HUMAN and Women’s Rights RIGHTS WATCH Afghan Women and the Risks of Reintegration and Reconciliation The “Ten-Dollar Talib” and Women’s Rights Afghan Women and the Risks of Reintegration and Reconciliation Copyright © 2010 Human Rights Watch All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America ISBN: 1-56432-658-9 Cover design by Rafael Jimenez Human Rights Watch 350 Fifth Avenue, 34th floor New York, NY 10118-3299 USA Tel: +1 212 290 4700, Fax: +1 212 736 1300 [email protected] Poststraße 4-5 10178 Berlin, Germany Tel: +49 30 2593 06-10, Fax: +49 30 2593 0629 [email protected] Avenue des Gaulois, 7 1040 Brussels, Belgium Tel: + 32 (2) 732 2009, Fax: + 32 (2) 732 0471 [email protected] 64-66 Rue de Lausanne 1202 Geneva, Switzerland Tel: +41 22 738 0481, Fax: +41 22 738 1791 [email protected] 2-12 Pentonville Road, 2nd Floor London N1 9HF, UK Tel: +44 20 7713 1995, Fax: +44 20 7713 1800 [email protected] 27 Rue de Lisbonne 75008 Paris, France Tel: +33 (1)43 59 55 35, Fax: +33 (1) 43 59 55 22 [email protected] 1630 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 500 Washington, DC 20009 USA Tel: +1 202 612 4321, Fax: +1 202 612 4333 [email protected] Web Site Address: http://www.hrw.org July 2010 1-56432-658-9 The “Ten-Dollar Talib” and Women’s Rights Afghan Women and the Risks of Reintegration and Reconciliation Maps ................................................................................................................................................. 1 Summary ...........................................................................................................................................3 Key Recommendations .............................................................................................................. 10 Methodology ............................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • AFGHANISTAN Afghanistan Has Long Suffered from Chronic Instability and Conflict
    AFGHANISTAN Afghanistan has long suffered from chronic instability and conflict. The Taliban’s oppression of women in Afghanistan during their rule from 1996 through 2001 is well documented and included restricting movement, the denial of the right to work, beatings and other physical abuse, arbitrary detention, a near ban on girls’ access to education and restricted access to health services.1 Following the fall of the Taliban, a new window of opportunity for women has opened thanks to the 2001 Bonn Agreement, a new constitution and increased emphasis on gender mainstreaming.2 The Bonn Agreement called for specific attention to the role of women and established a dedicated government structure for this purpose, the Ministry of Women's Affairs.3 Article 22 of the 2004 Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan provides that the citizens of Afghanistan have equal rights and duties before the law. In 2003, Afghanistan ratified the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. The legal system of Afghanistan combines Islamic, statutory and customary rules.4 The supreme law of the land is the Constitution of the Islamic Republic Afghanistan of 2004. Additionally, there is complex legislation which stems from different historical periods. Legislation promulgated before 2004 is valid only as far as it is in compliance with the principles and provisions of the Constitution.5 Article 130 of the Constitution establishes that judges must apply the Constitution and statutory legislation, and may only resort to Hanafi fiqh (i.e. one of the Schools of Islamic Law) if a necessary legal rule cannot be found in the written laws.6 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Assessing Women's Rights in Afghanistan in 2014
    Assessing Women’s Rights in Afghanistan in 2014: Many Stumbling Blocks on the Way towards Equality by Timea Kasa Timea Kasa About the Author Timea Kasa is a Foreign and Security Policy trainee at the Heinrich Böll Founda- tion North America in Washington, DC. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Public Policy and Governance from the University of Passau. Published by the Heinrich Böll Stiftung Washington, D.C., September 2014 Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License Author: Timea Kasa Editor: Charlotte Beck, Lauren Edwards Design: Lauren Edwards Cover image: Women’s Self Help Group in Badakhshan, photo by Sandra Calligaro (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) Heinrich Böll Stiftung Washington, D.C. Office 1432 K Street, NW Suite 500 Washington, D.C. 20005 United States T +1 202 462 7512 F +1 202 462 5230 E [email protected] www.us.boell.org II Timea Kasa Assessing Women’s Rights in Afghanistan in 2014 Many Stumbling Blocks on the Way towards Equality by Timea Kasa In the past, women were often the first to suffer from war and militariza- tion in Afghanistan. Today, Afghanistan ranks 169 out of 187 in the Gender Inequality Index of the UNDP.1 After a rocky presidential electoral process and with the nearing withdrawal of the international forces at the end of 2014, Afghan women face a variety of social, political and security chal- lenges.2 While their access to education and health care has significantly improved over the last decade, women’s political and basic human rights remain compromised.
    [Show full text]
  • A Comparative Analysis of George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump Administration Policies in Afghanistan
    City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works All Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects 2-2020 The U.S. Approach to Peacebuilding in Afghanistan: A Comparative Analysis of George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump Administration Policies in Afghanistan Mohammad Rasouli The Graduate Center, City University of New York How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/3547 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] THE U.S. APPROACH TO PEACEBUILDING IN AFGHANISTAN A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF GEORGE W. BUSH, BARACK OBAMA, AND DONALD TRUMP ADMINISTRATION POLICIES IN AFGHANISTAN by MOHAMMAD RASOULI A master’s thesis submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Liberal Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts, The City University of New York 2020 © 2020 MOHAMMAD RASOULI All Rights Reserved ii The U.S. Approach to Peacebuilding in Afghanistan, A Comparative Analysis of George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump Administration Policies in Afghanistan by Mohammad Rasouli This manuscript has been read and accepted for the Graduate Faculty in Liberal Studies in satisfaction of the thesis requirement for the degree of Master of Arts. Date Karen R. Miller Thesis Advisor Date Elizabeth Macaulay-Lewis Executive Officer THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK iii ABSTRACT The U.S. Approach to Peacebuilding in Afghanistan, A comparative analysis of George W.
    [Show full text]
  • THIRD SECTION CASE of N. V. SWEDEN (Application No. 23505/09)
    THIRD SECTION CASE OF N. v. SWEDEN (Application no. 23505/09) JUDGMENT STRASBOURG 20 July 2010 FINAL 20/10/2010 This judgment has become final under Article 44 § 2 of the Convention. It may be subject to editorial revision. N. v. SWEDEN JUDGMENT 1 In the case of N. v. Sweden, The European Court of Human Rights (Third Section), sitting as a Chamber composed of: Josep Casadevall, President, Elisabet Fura, Corneliu Bîrsan, Alvina Gyulumyan, Egbert Myjer, Ineta Ziemele, Ann Power, judges, and Santiago Quesada, Section Registrar, Having deliberated in private on 29 June 2010, Delivers the following judgment, which was adopted on that date: PROCEDURE 1. The case originated in an application (no. 23505/09) against the Kingdom of Sweden lodged with the Court under Article 34 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (“the Convention”) by an Afghan national, Ms N. (“the applicant”), on 28 April 2009. The President of the Chamber acceded to the applicant's request not to have her name disclosed (Rule 47 § 3 of the Rules of Court). 2. The applicant was represented by Ms Irina Tkatsenko, a lawyer practising in Stockholm. The Swedish Government (“the Government”) were represented by their Agent, Ms Inger Kalmerborn from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. 3. The applicant alleged that an implementation of the order to deport her to Afghanistan would be in breach of Article 3 of the Convention. 4. On 11 May 2009 the President of the Chamber decided to apply Rule 39 of the Rules of Court, indicating to the Government that it was desirable in the interests of the parties and the proper conduct of the proceedings not to deport the applicant until further notice.
    [Show full text]
  • Women, Peace & Governance Newsletter
    Women, Peace & Governance Newsletter UNIFEM-Afghanistan The New Resource Centre For Women in Politics Opens! Issue, 1May 2009 providing the women political www.peacewithjustice4afghani stan.blogspot.com . leaders of Afghanistan access to vital tools, dynamic trainings, and In this issue - networking opportunities. The center features a library, a The New Resource 1 computer room, a policy research Centre for Women in Politics Opens unit, and professional meeting Sitara Achekzia, 1 spaces for both large and small Women’s Human gatherings. Designed as a Rights Defender: supportive space for women Murdered outside her Home in Kandahar political actors, the center provides an ideal environment for Afghan Women Defy 2 women leaders to learn from one Odds to Gather in their Closed temporarily due to security related 1000’s to call for Peace another, debate important issues, concerns, the UNIFEM-Administered Resource with Justice in and work together productively to Afghanistan Centre for Women in Politics officially reopened enhance the status of Afghan Shia Personal Status in February 2009. 3 women in all sectors and from all Law Debate Succeeds in Galvanising Men and Based in the heart of Shahr-e-nau, The Resource walks of life. Women Around Center for Women in Politics is dedicated to Women’s Rights 324 Women File to Run 4 A Tribute to Sitara Achekai: Afghan Women’s Human for Provincial Council Seats, while 2 Women Rights Defender. Stand for President On March 17th Sitara daring to prove that struggle, women and men Achakzai, an Afghan women can be leaders for of Afghanistan must work woman’s human rights peace, change and together to demand JOB VACANCIES defender and Provincial equality.
    [Show full text]
  • AFGHANISTAN the Constitution States That Islam Is the "Religion of the State"
    AFGHANISTAN The constitution states that Islam is the "religion of the state" and that "no law can be contrary to the beliefs and provisions of the sacred religion of Islam." The constitution and other laws and policies restrict religious freedom and, in practice, the government enforced these restrictions. In 2004 the constitution accorded both Shia and Sunni Islam equal recognition. The constitution proclaims, "Followers of other religions are free to exercise their faith and perform their religious rites within the limits of the provisions of law." The government's level of respect for religious freedom in law and in practice declined during the reporting period, particularly for Christian groups and individuals. Residual effects of years of jihad against the Soviet Union, civil strife, Taliban rule, popular suspicion regarding outside influence and the motivations of foreigners, and weak democratic institutions remained serious obstacles. In May 2010 video footage of Christian converts being baptized aired on an Afghan television station and was re-aired every night for a week due to its popularity with the public. The station did a series of follow up segments as well. In response, inflammatory public statements were made against Christian converts by two members of parliament. These incidents led to targeting of Christian groups and individuals. At least two individuals who converted from Islam remained in detention at the end of the reporting period. (Note: All individuals detained for conversion from Islam were released after the reporting period ended.) Negative societal opinion and suspicion of Christian activities led to targeting of Christian groups and individuals, including Muslim converts to Christianity.
    [Show full text]